OME on Jimny, what's the point?

300bhpton wrote: I just wished they offered essentially the same kit with some longer shocks, extended brake lines and the crossmember dropper brackets. Best of both worlds then. I'm not after more lift, just retain the compression this kit currently offers, but offer more droop. An extra inch travel can make a big difference off road sometimes.

This is pretty much what I've got - the OME shocks with stock springs and Goodridge extended brake lines. Gives more droop without any lift, just with the potential risk of stock springs dislocating at max droop.

Roger Fairclough wrote: It is pointless adding packers if no attempt is made to gain from it. By your own admission, if you go to far, the vehicles ride would be awful. Yes, add your packers but add suitable shocks that will work with them and, if necessary, longer brake hoses. The more packers you put in, the more you restrict suspension movement because you haven't fitted longer shocks and the less articulation you will finish with.

Roger

Packers can be viable on some vehicles for some uses. I was however simply trying to point-out. That it isn't the amount of lift that requires longer brake lines or addressing the crossmember. But it seems to be repeated on here a few times that the OME kit doesn't need these due to only being 40mm lift vs the 50mm lift kits requiring them. When the truth is, it has nothing to do with the lift, but everything to do with the shock lengths.


BTW - I put a "budget boost" lift kit on a Jeep Cherokee years back. Spacers at the front for the coils and longer shackles for the rear. It worked fine as the suspension had plenty of travel in it and the Cherokees rode low from the factory.

Yes there is definitely more travel to be had than the standard springs and shocks allow. However every lift kit I've ever seen comes with stiffer springs than standard. Whilst you gain down travel from the longer springs and shocks, unless you increase the weight of the vehicle significantly you lose at least the same amount of up travel, so the end result is the same amount of articulation or, going by some pictures, even less than standard.
I think a lot of people judge a vehicles articulation simply by looking at the arch gap above the lowest wheel. Whilst a wheel dropping down 2 feet below the arch looks impressive, it's the difference between front and rear that counts, hence my examples with the lines.
I currently have front springs on the rear of my Jimny. They are roughly the same rate as the standard rear springs, but are about 50mm longer overall giving about 20mm of lift. My Jimny would benefit from longer rear shocks to utilise the extra spring length but I haven't got around to working that out yet.

When I fitted a 2" lift, I did fit extended brake lines, only because it seemed a cheap fix and you don't have to worry about whether they'll be stretched. The ones I fitted are bright yellow so that makes the vehicle at least 17.8% better off road!!